1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to devices used to indicate the presence or absence of a cartridge in the chamber of a firearm. The new device provides a simple means to check for the presence of a cartridge or shell in the chamber without the need to open the chamber
2. Description of Related Art
There are currently existing various apparatus to indicate the presence or absence of a cartridge in a firearm. In the simplest of cases an indicator may be mounted in a weapon breech slide or the barrel such that when a cartridge is present in the chamber the indicator is displaced outwardly at one end. This protruding end serves to indicate the presence of a cartridge.
In other disclosed designs the extractor for a weapon is modified such that when the shell of a cartridge is engaged a portion or element of the extractor is displaced to provide an indication of the presence of a cartridge. In some firearms there is provided a separate signal rod that is biased with a spring such that when a cartridge is present in the chamber the end of the signal rod is displaced rearward, for example, in the breech block, to protrude from the firearm and be visible. Still more complex mechanisms may involve displacement rods with lever arms and visible signal flag indicators.
All of these devices involve a signal indicator which is biased to be displaced when a cartridge is present in a firearm chamber. This provides for the operation of the cartridge indicator as a cartridge is loaded and extracted from the weapon and by its design it interacts as part of the loading/extraction operation. Because of this automatic feature as part of the loading/ extraction, the indicator is subject to wear, breakage and failure as it is continuously functioning as part of the firearm operation.
The present invention provides a cartridge indicator which does not interact with the cartridge as part of the loading/extraction operation of the firearm. Rather the cartridge indicator is biased by a spring such that it does not normally engage the cartridge. The user of the firearm presses a protruding rod or finger tab to push the indicator toward the chamber of the firearm. If no cartridge is present in the chamber the indicator may be pushed into the breech block of the weapon; however, if a cartridge is present, the indicator is prevented from full movement and thus indicates the presence of a cartridge.